The present invention relates to novel light duty liquid detergent compositions with enhanced foaming properties, containing small amounts of a nonionic hydroxypropyl guar gum derivative as the foam stability agent. More specifically, said detergent system comprises a ternary mixture of an alkyl ethenoxy ether sulfate, an alkyl sulfate and a betaine.
Foam boosters commonly used for conventional light duty liquid detergents are either amides or amine oxides. To achieve foam boosting effect, they have to be used at relatively high levels (3-6%).
The prior art is replete with light duty liquid detergent compositions containing mixtures of betaines and one or more anionic detergents as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,548, wherein is disclosed a multidetergent shampoo composition containing a betaine and a lauryl sulfate or a lauryl ether sulfate (Example 3 and Table III); U.S. Pat. No. 3,950,417, wherein is disclosed a high lathering multidetergent-containing composition comprising a betaine and an anionic surfactant such as an alkyl ether sulfate or an alkyl sulfate and a nonionic surfactant such as a polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate; U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,146, wherein is disclosed an acidic shampoo formulation comprising a cationic resin, at least two anionic detergents, one of which is an alkyl ether sulfate, and a betaine; U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,256 which also discloses a shampoo composition comprising a cationic polymer, a betaine, and an alkyl ether sulfate (Example VI); U.S. Pat. No. 4,148,762 wherein is disclosed a detergent composition comprising a betaine and 5-30% anionic surfactants such as alkyl sulfate, alkyl ether sulfate and alkyl aryl ether sulfate; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,845, wherein is disclosed a high foaming antidandruff shampoo comprising a betaine and a supplemental detergent which may be an alkyl sulfate. Foaming of aforesaid compositions are a result of the use of the conventional foam boosters, or of the particular combination of detergents.
However, none of the above-mentioned patents disclose a liquid detergent composition containing the ternary mixture of a betaine, an alkyl sulfate and an alkyl ethenoxy ether sulfate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,131 to Sterling, discloses a conditioning shampoo comprising an amphoteric surfactant such as a betaine, and a zwitterionic polymer, and may also contain foam boosters such as the alkanolamide (Example 1). The ternary mixture of alkyl sulfate, alkyl ether sulfate and betaine is disclosed herein (column 7) as a control concentrate for testing the effectiveness of the conditioning shampoo containing the zwitterionic polymer conditioning agent.
The prior art also discloses the use of hydroxyalkyl ethers of guar gum (a galactomannan gum) as thickening agents in printing pastes, paint dispersions and explosive slurries as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,748,201 and No. 3,700,612. However, the disclosed compositions do not include liquid detergent compositions.
The Jaguar catalogue by Stein-Hall and Company, Inc., discloses hydroxypropylated guar gum derivatives useful as thickening agents. Guar gum is chemically classified as a galactomannan, is a high molecular weight carbohydrate polymer or polysaccharide made up of many mannose and galactose units linked together (page 5 of catalogue).
Japanese Pat. Nos. 76 20,202 and 20,203 (1976) by Unitaka disclose the preparation of hydroxypropyl sugar or glucose and its use as a builder for detergents; and the preparation of hydroxyethyl starch or hydroxypropyl amylose and its use as a soil redeposition inhibitor for detergents, said detergent composition comprising a sodium salt of coconut alcohol sulfate ester, sodium carbonate and sodium sulfate. The particular example cited in these patents indicates that with the lauryl alcohol sulfate surfactant, the traditional builder, tripolyphosphate can be replaced by hydroxypropyl glucose and still maintain the detergency of the composition. The particular builder substitutes mentioned herein are hydroxyalkyl (ethyl, propyl and butyl) ethers of mono- and di-saccharides. However, there is no mention herein of guar gum or guar gum derivatives nor of foam stabilization.